Four-Alarm Malden Fire on Porter Street Displaces 15, Injures Firefighter

A four-alarm Malden fire that started at a triple-decker at 85 Porter St. on Friday, Oct. 23, spread to the triple-deckers on either side, displaced at least 15 people and injured one firefighter. Everyone who lived in the buildings got out safely, officials said. The cause remains under investigation.

What happened on Porter Street

The fire broke out shortly before noon, NBC Boston reported, and firefighters spent hours fighting flames in the three buildings. Fire departments from surrounding communities responded, CBS Boston reported, and the State Fire Marshal’s Office sent staff to assist local officials, according to NBC Boston.

Leonard Dunn of the Malden Fire Department told CBS Boston that crews found “heavy fire in the rear porches extending to three-deckers on both sides.” Firefighters went in after reports of someone on the third floor and did a quick search to make sure everyone was out. “Very difficult fire to fight,” Dunn said, adding that the fire “burnt the porches right off.”

Officials believe the fire started on the rear porch, WCVB reported. Dunn described the risk of older porches to the station. “You know these old porches, oil-soaked over the years, you used to store your heating oil out there to get the stoves going,” he said. “So as soon as they get going, they go up really quickly.” No official cause had been announced as of Monday night.

Families displaced and the firefighter’s injury

At least 15 people from three families were displaced, according to CBS Boston and WCVB. Some later reports put the number closer to 20. The American Red Cross is helping the displaced residents.

The injured firefighter hurt his hand, NBC Boston reported. Officials described the injury as minor and said he is expected to recover.

Residents told reporters how they learned of the fire. Donna Sidmore, who lives in one of the neighboring buildings, told CBS Boston she smelled burning plastic, opened her window, saw flames at the back of the house, yelled for everyone to get out and called 911. Lavina Rodrigues, who lives on the second floor of the building where the fire started, said she was eating in the kitchen when she saw smoke out the window. Several residents said they were worried about pets left behind.

Porch fire safety in triple-decker neighborhoods

The cause of the Porter Street fire has not been determined. Separately, state fire officials have long warned about porch fires in dense neighborhoods like Malden’s. The Massachusetts Department of Fire Services says porch fires “are also a major cause of fast-moving fires that can threaten our densely built neighborhoods.” A fire on a porch can grow large before people inside notice it or an indoor smoke alarm goes off, and it can quickly spread to other buildings, the department says.

The department’s general advice for anyone who smokes on a porch is to use a heavy ashtray on a sturdy surface, fill it with water or sand, and never toss butts or ashes in the trash, in potted plants or over a porch railing.

How to help, and more Malden news

The Red Cross handles emergency help for families after home fires; people who want to donate can do so through the American Red Cross of Massachusetts. We have not found an official fundraiser for the Porter Street families and will not link to unverified ones.

With colder weather coming, see our Malden winter guide and Malden Halloween 2026 events, plus more Malden news.

Sources

• CBS Boston: 4-alarm fire rips through three buildings in Malden (Oct. 23, 2026): Dunn quotes, residents, Red Cross.
• WCVB: Firefighter injured, 15 people displaced (Oct. 23, 2026): address, rear-porch origin.
• NBC Boston: Malden fire burns in three buildings on Porter St. (Oct. 23, 2026): timing, hand injury, State Fire Marshal.
• Mass. Department of Fire Services: Smoking Fire Hazards: porch fire warning and tips.

Additional sources

• Patch: MA Weekend recap (Oct. 26, 2026): later estimate of about 20 displaced.
• American Red Cross of Massachusetts: Local chapter: disaster assistance.